I've decided to participate in a meme, hosted by Swedish blogger Camilla; namely to show a montly picture of a certain spot, on the last day of each month. The spot I've chosen is the bottommost corner of our garden. Just as you've entered through the gates and look to your right, this is what you see:

Det skall bli intressant att se vad som har hänt här om en månad!

It will be interesting to see what changes has occurred here in a month!

Last, but not least, - a rose shrub! A fragrant, hardy and healthy rugosa-hybrid which blooms from early spring until late autumn and which willingly sends out runners : Schneekoppe, or Snow Pavement, as its also called.

I have received such a beautiful bouquet of white Tulips from a friend. An tremendously fair Tulipa viridflora with green streaks on the petals and fabulous light green foliage with dark green edges. Exactly the kind of Tulip that I would like to grow in my garden! What is it called? Does anybody know?

I have a pink T. viridflora in my garden, called China Town. On top of the awesome flowers, it has dainty green-white leaves. Or maybe I should say I had? You'll never know which Tulips will emerge again - but I keep my fingers crossed...

Rejoice of the week is that we are moving towards brighter times! Days have now become approximately 30 minutes longer, compared to last week. The sun rises at 08.39 and doesn't set until 16:03. That's something to be happy about! -And so did this ladybug seem to think, as she took a stroll in our glassed veranda yesterday. She almost looks like a monster, when you look at her closely!

Yesterday almost felt like Spring, with sunshine from a blue sky. I took the opportunity to clean our glassed veranda and the sunshine made me feel light at heart. But last night Winter returned. A faint layer of snow, grey sky and an icing wind. - The bulbs, that are starting to show, were surely hoping that the mild weather would last. Luckily, we're heading for brighter times!

Welcome to Blooming Friday! Today I've got Tulip Fever... Unfortunately I haven't got this amount of tulips at my place. The picture to the left was taken at the Eden Project in Cornwall, England, a couple of years ago.

One true subject of joy this week, is that our daughter has been accepted at the university of Gothenburg. She is going to become a teacher, just like her mum! On top of that, the weather is milder again and days are slowly getting longer. The ice has disappeared from the ponds in the woods and the reflections of the trees can once again be seen.

This Friday's bloomy, is an orange-coloured Flowering Maple - Abutilon pictum 'Thompsonii'. Its foliage is daintily variegated in green and cream. This pleasant potted plant clearly indicates, by drooping leaves, when it needs to be watered.

This week has been great; I've spent lots of time with my family. Lazy days off work and long, refreshening walks with the dogs. It's below zero now, which keeps the dogs unusually clean. The peace was temporarily interrupted on New Year's Eve by a fun party, at my best friend's house.

But I was also enchanted by a Fuchsia which I spotted at the Botanical Gardens of Gothenburg. It's growth reminded me of Brugmansia and I knew as soon as I saw it, that I had to have it! So, having searched the net for a while, I've now placed an order for F. boliviana alba. Isn't it beautiful?Have you ever grown it?

To celebrate the first Blooming Friday of this year, I've visited the greenhouse of Gothenburg Botanical gardens. There, among stones and green shrubs, I saw the most gorgeous Azalea (Rhododendron Simsii 'Elien'), which was almost as tall as me. So very sheer and romantic...like a dream! I don't seem to be able to treat azaleas the way they should be treated, so for me, this is a good way of enjoying them.